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A smooth and creamy pasta to add to your usual rotation, this is what we call Ricotta Pesto Pasta. It is a blended sauce of basil and ricotta, which makes this delicious, bright green sauce. You can get this ricotta pesto pasta on the table in 10 minutes (as long as it takes to cook the pasta), and the only pan you need is one to cook the pasta, as the sauce is all made in a blender.
Table of Contents
Why you’ll love this recipe
- You only need a handful of common ingredients.
- Quick and simple…takes just as long as it does to cook the pasta!
- A flavorful (though simple) weeknight meal!
Ingredients
- Garlic
- Olive oil
- Basil – Use fresh basil leaves, and you can add the stalks too, as it all gets blended smoothly anyway.
- Ricotta – This forms the base of the blended ricotta pesto pasta sauce.
- Lemon – The sharpness of the lemon cuts through the creaminess of the ricotta and brings out the basil flavor.
- Parmesan
- Pasta – We used spaghetti, but use what you like.
- Pasta water – Not always included on an ingredient list, but it is so key here to achieve the silky sauce that I have written it down so that you don’t accidentally drain it away before realizing it is needed.
Frequently asked questions
Ricotta’s mild flavor means it works best here, but if you want to make this right now and don’t have it on hand, you could add some crème fraîche, cream cheese, or even cottage cheese in a pinch.
Pasta water is crucial here. Not only do we use it to loosen the sauce in the blender, but it also helps to thicken the sauce. The fact that it was used to cook the pasta is important, as it means the water is starchy. This means that it won’t thin out the sauce like it would if you used water from the tap, and it also means it will stick to the pasta, clinging to each strand.
Other quick and easy pasta recipes you’ll enjoy
When it comes to a quick weeknight dinner or side, pasta is the answer! You’ll want to try my Cavolo Nero Pasta (this is a blended sauce again) and Creamy Boursin and Artichoke Pasta. For something a little zestier, make Spicy Nduja Pasta or this Creamy Lemon Pasta. And, if you like zucchini, my Easy Creamy Courgette Pasta is a must.
Comfort Food
Creamy and Easy Pastina
Easy Pasta Recipes
Easy Creamy Truffle Pasta
Easy Beef Recipes
Slow-Cooked Beef Ragu with Beef Shin
Easy One Pot Dishes
Easy One-Pan French Onion Soup Pasta
If you tried this Ricotta Pesto Pasta or any other recipe on the site, please do leave a rating or comment and let us know how it went!
Ricotta Pesto Pasta
Ingredients
- 8.75 oz spaghetti
- 3 tbsp pasta water
- 2 garlic cloves
- 2 fl oz olive oil
- 2 cups basil leaves
- 2 heaped tbsp ricotta
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook the pasta according to the package instructions. Before draining, reserve some pasta water.
- Meanwhile, in a blender, combine garlic, olive oil, basil leaves, ricotta, lemon zest, and grated Parmesan cheese.
- Blend the ingredients until a smooth and creamy consistency is achieved. If the mixture is too thick, gradually add the reserved pasta water to reach the desired texture; you want it just thick enough so it coats the pasta well, but not so thick that it isn’t silky smooth.
- Season the pesto with salt and pepper to taste. It will need a fair amount of salt to bring out all the flavors, so taste as you go.
- Toss the cooked pasta in the mixture, ensuring the pasta is well-coated. Then grate over more Parmesan to serve.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
